


jingle around the clock

by horlik_aholic



Series: 12 days of ziall fics [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, drunken christmas caroling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-02 01:09:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2794271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horlik_aholic/pseuds/horlik_aholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>day 4 of my 12 days of ziall fics</p>
<p>"you need to stop your drunken caroling outside of my window at 2 am au"</p>
            </blockquote>





	jingle around the clock

**Author's Note:**

> this one is really short, sorry! had a final today soo. i might add more to this at some point, ive gotta see. anyways here's day 4, i dont think maybe people are reading these but they're fun to write

As with most things, it’s Louis’ fault.

Niall hadn’t even been planning on getting drunk, just wanted a nice, relaxing night in with his mates and some eggnog and maybe a pint or two. But then Louis had bet that Niall couldn't go shot for shot with him and of course Niall had to defend his honor, which, in hindsight, may not have been the best idea. Naturally, Niall'd drunk him under the table; he'd drunk them all under the table.

The rest of the details are a bit fuzzy, but Niall distinctly remembers Harry suggesting they go caroling to spread some holiday cheer, and surprise when for once one of his ideas was met with unanimous agreement. 

"Where're we even gonna go," Liam complains once they've made it outside, hiding his chin and nose under his scarf. 

"It doesn't matter where we go, Liam. Just that we spread some proper cheer and brighten up someone's day," Harry tells him wisely, looking solemn.

Louis snorts as the 5 stumble along blindly, "Thank you for that Harold. Wise beyond your measly 20 years, you are."

"Heyyyy," Harry objects with a pout, bumping into Louis and nearly sending them both toppling, "You love that about me."

They're all boring Niall. He's ready to fucking do this thing. "It's feckin freezin'!" he whines, feeling a snowball hit his back less than a second later.

"Suck it up, Neil. Liam told you to put on your jacket," Louis falls over while he wipes the snow off his gloves, staggering into Harry who steadies him. 

Liam starts to say something but Niall ignores him, propelling himself forward unsteadily and shouting, "Let's just get this going, I'm ready to spread some fucking cheer!" 

"Go ahead bro! We're right behind you, we'll follow your lead," Harry shrugs, still holding on to Louis. He leans down and whispers something into Louis' ear.

Louis grins wickedly, "Yeah Niall, go on then. Show us what you got."

Niall is not one to turn down a challenge, especially from Louis. The fact that he's as pissed as he is just proves that, so he puffs out his chest, steps into the middle of the deserted street, and takes a deep breath.

" _JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL ROCK_ ," he belts at the top of his lungs, slightly slurred and spectacularly out of key, " _Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring. Snowin' and snowin' a bush offunn, na na na na HAS BEGUN._ " 

Louis, Harry, and Liam sneak away while he sings, hiding across the street and watching it all unfold. For as long as they've known him, Niall has always been this gullible. It truly never gets old.

Niall doesn't even notice, caught up in his shining moment, and he stumbles closer to the apartment building on his right. He picks a window at random, clumsily moving towards it. 

" _JINGLE BELL, Jingle bell, jingle bell rock, jingle bell shine in jingle bell 'ime, na na, something, jingle bell square, with the FROSTY AIR._ "

Liam nudges Louis, laughing hysterically and pointing as a light in a neighboring window to the one Niall's serenading turns on and a very annoyed looking stranger pops his head out. He calls out to Niall, and finally on his third try, he gets his attention.

" _Jingle BELL TIME is a SWELL TIME, to rock--_ "

"Yo! Mate!" 

Niall whips around to find the source of the voice, cutting himself off and promptly knocking himself to the ground. The groan he lets out is so loud that his friends can hear it from across the street, and that only makes him laugh harder. 

"Shit, c'mon man, stand up. Look bro, I didn't mean to scare you _but could you maybe stop caroling at 2 am_?" the guy calls out, leaning out his window to get a good look at where Niall's slumped in the snow. 

The moment Niall becomes aware that his friends ditched him is clear, his eyes narrow suspiciously and he lets out a grunt, muttering under his breath. Slowly, he pushes himself up and gets unsteadily to his feet, making his way over to the window. 

"M'sorry dude, s'just, Harry wanted to spread holiday cheer-- not Christmas cheer cause there're lotsa Jewish n' other people who d'serve cheer s'well, y'see-- and so we did caroling. And so I wanted to sing to ya and make people happy, but then they left me an'--" he says as he walks over, looking at the ground in his focus to keep his balance. 

The guy cuts him off with a tired sounding laugh, "I appreciate the thought, only it's 2 am yeah? Nothing personal, just think maybe some people don't wanna hear your voice when they're trying to sleep."

Niall frowns. "S'a matter with my voice?"

He puts his hands up in defense, "Your voice is great, mate. Didn't say  _I_  didn't wanna hear it, just some of the other tenants have sticks up their arses, like. Maybe come back when it's a little bit less night time and you're a little bit more sober, then?"

"Ah, yeh bro, sorry I--" Niall falters when he looks up and catches sight of the stranger's face, "Fuck man. Forget caroling, jus' gotta hold up a sign w'your face on it and I'll spread some much better cheer, shit."

"That right?" the guy grins for real this time, pulling out a fag and lighting it. 

"M'Niall, and I could use s'me holiday cheer mate, maybe you should kiss me a bit, yeah?" Niall waggles his eyebrows, leaning up against the walling and losing his balance.

He laughs again, "Tempting, that is. I'm Zayn."

"Zayn," Niall breaths, eyes wide and awed, "Pretty name fer a pretty face, that. So what d'ya say about that kiss?"

Zayn just stands at his window for a moment, taking a long drag from his cigarette and looking at Niall with a raised eyebrow. He grounds out the end in the ashtray and leaves it, finally speaking, "I say, if you remember any of this tomorrow, come back and try asking again yeah?"

Niall breathes out a sigh of agreement, silently trying to will his brain to remember just this one thing from the night.

Zayn smiles and gives a nod as he pulls his window shut. "Goodnight, Niall. Hope I see you tomorrow."

 


End file.
